The Butler weekly times., 1887-03-16
TT sH0ULD BECOME A LAW.


Senate and passed by that body TO
prevent ex'ortion, unjust dlscrimIna
ton and pooling by railroad corpor-
auons, and TO IncI ease the powers
and enlarge the duties OF railroad
commissioners, IS, IN our humsle
opinion, the nearest to protecting
the people OF the State against the
all powerful railroad monopolies OF
an, effort that has ever been made
by our legislators. Every man do
| ing business IN the State, no matter
on how small scale, has recognized
by experience, the necessity existing
for railroad legislation. II is the
tocsin that IS sounded before every
election, and we all know that the
candidate with anti monopoly views
| and ideas. or at least the one who
expresses such is the successful one.
Bu', unfortunately for the interests
OF the people their representatives
have been but weak mortals at best,
and yielded 10 the siren voice OF the
temp,er. or perhaps the jingle OF sill
veI dollar was far sweeter to their
ears than the plaudits of their anx-
ious constituent. 1t IS a well known
tact that Missouri'sgeneral assemblies
have been captured and controlled
by the railroad lobbyists, sent to the
State capital and maintained at the
expense OF the railroad company, at
each successive sitting for years past.
So we'll was this known that the
people had begun to despair of ever
gaining any aid from their legisla
tors IN ridding them of this vampire
OF the trade world, that was growing
tat on the blood of its victims. 1t IS
the people. the consumer, that has
this burden to bear, for nile the
merchant pays the freight he charges
it up to that unfortunate class.
1t is being claimed by the enemies
Of this bill, that If 1t passees both
houses and becomes a law that it
will stop railroad building in the
State. We do not believe any such
stuff. But, granting this to be facts,
must or ought the people to be sys
tema,ically robbed by these wealthy
and arrogant corporations in order
that more railroads can be built,
thereby necessltating IA heavier bur
den upon them. Railroads will be
built just SO long as they pay good
dividend upon the capital invested,
the same as any other enterprise,
and there is no good reason why the
legitimate fees for services rendered
should not apply the same to ra,l
roads as IN other line. of business.
We are glad to see disposition
Permeating our present Legislature
to eliminate this mighty and growing
evil, and we sincerely hope that
there will be members enough IN the
house of sterling ingtegr,ty to resist
the mighty influences beng marshal
ed against them, by ra,lro ad lobby
ts, backed by money and BRAINS.
We know in part the workings of
this mighty influence, but we say to
our representative. Mr.. Hinton. to
stand firm and the greater the temp
tation, the greater the victory he has
attained. Stand by your people now
in their hour OF need, and they will
not forget nor torsake you in the
future. You have done we'll so far,
but now comes the great test. and
the eyes of the people of Bates coun.
ty are watching your every action,
and YOU can stand forth with tha.
welcome plaud,t, we'll done faithful
servant, come up higher, or you can |
be classed with that class who know
their duty vet refused to do it.
The Bald Knobbers in Greene